Beauty by Design
Beauty by Design is a Raid Event scheduled to start on July 23, 2014 at 12:00 AM (PST) and end on July 30, 2014 at 11:59 PM (PST). __TOC__ Raid Bosses Skill Cards * Scurrius Warrior Averill Anti-Raid Boss Skill Card * Sadistic Demios & Elleen Anti-Raid Boss Skill Card * Segnos, Duosaber Holder Anti-Hidden Raid Boss Skill Card * Devoted Vampire Gaspard Anti-Secret Raid Boss Skill Card Story Her master was here. Ymir's heart began to race as she realized it. As if they mysteriously expected her arrival, the town's streets were also pristine. Just how long had passed since she left his sight? Ymir's mind was unable to express time in units such as hours, days, or years. It was only clear that it felt like an eternity had come and gone. The image of her kind master, the one who had created and raised her, was burned into her mind. Ymir was what the commoners called a homunculus. Her soul was placed into a body of the portions of corpses, and her master referred to her as nearly perfect. "Yes. Now that you are here, you must assist me," he repeated time and again. Ymir's master was everything to her. He was both her father and her instructor. He had taught her how to speak, how to fight, and how to love. And then he vanished without a word. Ymir thought that maybe he was testing her, trying to see just how well she had learned under his guidance. However, it only helped her to realize how little she really knew. She had spent the entire day in tears, yet from then on, she resolved to smile always as she continued to search for her master. His smile was her greatest joy, and his frown was her greatest pain. If Ymir felt that way, she imagined her master likely felt the same. She was determined to make sure that the next time they met she would bring him only joy. So she had continued her journey, climbing mountains and crossing oceans. Countless times she had been accosted by bandits and thieves, and without the electrical hammer he had given her, she would have never survived. For a long while Ymir held not a single clue as to her master's whereabouts, and finding him was similar to finding one single grain of sand along the shore. When at last she had received word of him, she rushed to the location as fast as she could. Now that she had arrived, the town stunned her with its silence. Ymir had travelled through a myriad of other towns and villages on her journey, usually gathering a fair number of stares. This one, however, was different, and despite the numerous buildings and streets, appeared to be sparsely inhabited. Even when Ymir did see another person walking along the cold, eerie streets, they seemed to look straight ahead as if the life had gone from their eyes, all fleeing in fright even as she meekly addressed them. "How strange." Ymir said quietly, tilting her head. She was accustomed to people running away at the sight of her, but no one here had given her a passing glance. Perhaps they had been reacting to the sound of her voice, but Ymir spoke in the same demure tone she had been taught was polite from the time she was born. Could her voice truly sound so different to others? Ymir tried to remember what her master had taught her about so-called "tact", but she failed to recall any particular details. "Hello?" No matter who she spoke to, the result was the same. So much was clear, but Ymir could not bring herself to believe it was caused by her voice. Was it possible that everyone in the town already knew her secret? "Do you... have a moment?" It was her tenth attempt, a fairy acompanying a small party of adventurers. ... "What do you want?" Yvette sent a quizzical look in the bandaged girl's direction. "Oh, how relieved am I to hear a response." The girl gave a small, awkward sigh of relief. Overall, her appearance was undeniably strange. What looked to be two large nails protruded from her head like horns, and her face and arms were wrapped in dressings. Her wrists and ankles, too, were clad in shackles. On her shoulder she carried a massive hammer, as if it were as light as a parasol. Finally, and despite her shabby appearance, she wore a full smile like a worn-out suit of armor. She matched with the sterile surrounding scenery all too well. "Forgive my reaction, but everyone I've called out to so far ran away from me..." "I can't blame them. We almost ran away ourselves," quipped Yvette. "Well, I am a," laughed the girl, then, catching herself, "No wait, that's not what I meant..." Even without Ymir finishing her sentence, the party understood. They too had had a difficult time getting more than a yelp of terror out of the town's inhabitants. "...And that's my story." Yvette waited for the bizarre girl to finish sharing her experience before she pointed to the notice board beside them. The Heroes had found the same board earlier and grasped a general sense of the town's ongoings. "What's this say? ...Oh, so there has been repeated kidnappings and murders around here lately. That's why everyone's so frightened, huh? And it says that people are advised not to leave their homes until the knights have caught the culprits. well, that explains a lot! Haha!" "We won't assist you in your life of crime. You should really turn yourself in," now said Yevette. "I-it wasn't me!" "Hmm, that's what they all say," the fairy continued. "You don't have any proof... Wait, what am I saying?! I told you I didn't do it!" For her intimidating appearance, the girl appeared to be rather easygoing. The Heroes were impressed she had enough humor to go along with Yvette's jokes, even while so clearly troubled. Still, they also surmised that she was holding a great deal back from them. "I-I'm not really from around here... I've just arrived myself." "I don't care where you're from, dear; you aren't putting anyone at ease carrying that around with you," said Yvette, nodding at the hammer. The girl began to twirl the massive weapon over her head, making the Heroes' hair stand on end as they listened to the fearsome whirling sound it made. "Actually, I'm looking for the one who gave this to me." She said as she brought it down in front of her, showing it proudly to the group and smiling even wider. "Who gave it to you?" Yvette now asked. "The one who created me. My master." "Wait... what do you mean by that?" "Just as I said. I'm a homunculus. Pleased to make your acquaintance." "Homunculus? Now you've really lost me." After a moment of thought, all seemed to realize the meaning of Ymir's words simultaneously. Turning back to her, they asked for a more detailed explanation. ... "I see now. So you've been searching for your master." The Heroes were drained after hearing the whole of Ymir's story. Her courageousness spoke to them deeply. They now understood clearly why she had been so reserved. "I'm sorry, that took more time than I thought it would... Yes, I am still searching for him. I dearly want to see him again as soon as possible." "Well then, i must be off," now said Ymir, with a slightly grandiose wave. She had turned to leave when Yvette called her. "Wait! No matter how extraordinary you are, it's not safe to be alone here, from the sounds of it," said the Fairy, turning to the Heroes. All nodded in agreement. Epilogue Black clouds blanketed the skies, turning the day as dark as night. Thunder crashed as the driving rain pounded Ymir and the Heroes. Before them lay an incomprehensible creature, the sinew of its ivory body pulsating in an unsettling manner. "Master Katise..." The white figure moaned at the sound of Ymir's voice. They had at last learned that the one behind the myriad kidnappings was Ymir's master, Katise. He had been abducting humans, performing twisted experiments, and releasing them back into the city where they spread death and destruction. Inconceivable as it was, he himself had professed to the crime, for had he not revealed his identity, Ymir would have bludgeoned him to death with the very present he had given her. "How could you do something like this?" Ymir posed the question in a voice barely audible over the violent storm. She desperately forced herself to remain smiling, as if she feared what may happen should it fade. "I... wanted you... to see... our full potential..." It took every ounce of restraint for Ymir to swallow her disgust and horror. She wanted to scream at him about how she never wanted anything of the sort. All that held her indignation in check was the lofty respect she held for Katise. "I never intended... for you to be... caught up in my... delusions... Forgive me..." Ymir remembered how Katise would speak of how scholars like him were fools. They were faulty creatures who placed the pursuit of knowledge and the fulfillment of curiosity above all else. However, it seemed that he did not want her to be involved in his harrowing experiments to build the ultimate life form. Insolent as it may have been, it showed he possessed some form of conscience. Having pondered on countless occasions why Katise had left her behind, Ymir felt foolish for having ever done so. "You can't just create and abandon living things as you please! Even 'live and let live' has its limits." Ymir's pouting tone conflicted with her expression. Katise coughed as he laughed, spilling even more blood that soon washed away in the rain. Concerned, Ymir ran over to him, gently rubbing his body to soothe his pain. Even on the verge of death, he felt as warm as he had always been. Suddenly, Katise stated, "Ymir... you are perfect..." in the same tone of voice he used whenever he made a new breakthrough. "Don't you mean 'almost perfect'?" Ymir poked fun at his late realization with her response. "No... it's true... I simply... did not notice... how much you... had matured..." Katise looked up at Ymir with the familiar gentle expression he had always shown her. "Who else... will you smile for?" Then, with his own satisfied smile, Katise slowly closed his eyes. His smile was her greatest joy, and his frown as her greatest pain. Ymir had always felt that way, and she was determined to make sure that he next time they met she would bring him only joy. Though it did not transpire how she had hoped, her wish was granted. 'Master?" Still smiling, Ymir tried to awaken Katise, yet he did not stir. As she came to grips with the reality that he had passed on, Ymir's ubiquitous grin finally vanished. •• At length, the clouds began to dissipate, allowing the sun the shine through the gaps. The scent of fallen rain mingled with the melody of songbirds. The Heroes followed Ymir as she carried the remains of Katise to the foothills outside of the own where she built a simple grave for him. She continued to whimper as she carved his name into the headstone. Though she had not eased crying since Katise's death over an hour go, her tears had yet to run dry. "You were a big, stupid jerk," derided Ymir between sobs. "I don't care if what you did was inhuman, I still wanted to be together." Yvette tried to console her. "I don't think he wanted you to get mixed up in his dirty work." "I know that!" Ymir snapped back as she finished the headstone. She stepped away, glared at it, and took a deep breath before continuing. "But what am I supposed to do now?! Master as all I had! I don't have anyone else! Who'd want to be friends with a freak like me, anyway?! And I don't have any other goals or dreams! What now?" "Look, it's only natural for you to be sad right this moment, but you did all right searching for Katise by yourself, didn't you? Just discover your dreams the same way." "I know that, too!" "...So what's your problem?" Yvette said, appalled by Ymir's attitude. It seemed to the Heroes that Ymir merely needed to release her pent-up sorrow. If Katise had appraised his own creation as "perfect," there was no need for them to worry about her. She would find her own path. When one of them whispered as much to Yvette, she seemed to come to the same realization. "You should just let it all out. Scream, yell, do whatever you want. That should make it easier to keep moving forward." "R-really? I could get pretty loud you know. I might even start swinging around my hammer." "I said 'do whatever you want,' didn't I? We'll wait from a safe distance until you're done." Ymir, the fabricated girl who had done naught but smile for untold years, finally unleashed all of her pain and anger. The torrent of emotions manifested itself in wailing sobs, fearsome yells, and smashed trees. The Heroes watched patiently until the violent storm subsided some hours later, hopefully making way for clearer skies. Chapters/quests Raid bosses iOS individual rewards Half-time rankings Final rankings Lucky ranking Mega lucky ranking Daily ranking Repel rewards iOS Guild Rewards Final Rankings Repel Rewards Category:Raid Events